Heartbeat
by artemis-nz
Summary: Usagi provides Misaki with a much-needed distraction. Usagi/Misaki.


The rain drummed a steady beat outside the apartment building, the concrete sky already beginning to grow dark even though it was not yet evening. A distant rumble might have been a passing truck, but could also have been the first heralding of an approaching thunderstorm. On the couch in front of a flickering television screen, Misaki shivered a little, body instinctively curling inwards.

Glasses rattled in the kitchen, and Usagi poked his head out. "We're out of coffee", he announced.

Misaki unfurled himself enough to angle his head in the general direction of Usagi's voice. "I'll pick some up tomorrow on my way back from class."

"I'm thirsty", came the slightly petulant reply.

"Drink some water."

Usagi's head disappeared at Misaki's glare, although his voice filtered out through the kitchen again a moment later. "If you're cold, turn on the heater."

"I'm not cold."

The rain came down harder, and if Usagi replied, the younger man didn't catch it over the sudden downpour. Misaki let his eyes drift shut, the flicker of uneasiness he had felt fading unobtrusively to the back of his mind.

The quiet buzzing of the television, the gentle clicking of the keyboard from upstairs after Usagi padded past him, barefoot, some time later, the soft material of the couch supporting his slight frame, all served to lull Misaki into a light stupor. He dozed, and time slipped by unnoticed.

He came back to himself only when Usagi ruffled his hair, blearily opening his eyes to see that the sky had turned nearly completely black. "Ugh… what time is it?"

"Not dinner time yet. I'm going out to buy coffee."

"Oh… 'kay." And without warning, the window at the other end of the room lit up as lightning suddenly split the sky in two. Misaki's hand shot out to grip Usagi by the wrist as the thunder followed, deep and angry. "Wait. Don't go." He was wide awake now, eyes darting about the room and looking everywhere but at Usagi, although his fingers stayed clenched tight. "I told you, I'll get the coffee tomorrow, I-"

"What's wrong? Misaki?"

"Nothing. Nothing's wrong…" Slowly, his grip eased until he had let go of Usagi entirely. "Your manuscript. I mean, you should finish it. You promised Aikawa you'd have it in by tomorrow, right? She even extended your deadline for you. So you can't leave."

"If I'm going to finish it tonight then I need to stay up late. So I'm going to get the coffee now."

"No! I'll get it – you stay here and get some more work done." Usagi stared, perplexed, as Misaki pushed himself upright and made to scramble off the couch, still avoiding Usagi's gaze. "I'll just get my coat and I'll be back soon, the convenience store isn't that far down the road, you remember, there's that new one that just opened up, it shouldn't take more than ten minutes to get there and back, I know if you go out yourself you'll take way longer than that because you always do-"

Misaki was babbling, and Usagi's eyes narrowed. "- It's raining. Hard. It'll be better if I just take the car", he interrupted, and watched as Misaki jumped, then tried to cover it up by pretending he had just been about to stand up anyway.

"I-I'll be fine, I don't mind getting a little wet-"

"Misaki!" Usagi grabbed Misaki's arm as the student moved to pass him. "What's going on?"

Misaki gaped. "N-nothing, I just-"

"Don't lie to me!"

"… I-" Misaki was saved from further explanation as another boom sounded, this time much closer. He fought to free himself from Usagi's hold as another peal of lightning lit the room for a brief moment. By the time the flash had faded, bringing their immediate surroundings back into focus, Misaki was breathing quickly, body tense and trembling as if poised on the edge of flight. Usagi was still clutching his arm, although Misaki had stopped attempting to loosen Usagi's grip and was staring back at Usagi, green eyes wide.

There was a long silence, broken only by Misaki's rapid breath as he struggled to regain control.

"Don't go", he said at last, voice low. "Please. Just… don't go." He swallowed. "Not now."

And with a sudden rush of clarity, Usagi all at once understood. He gathered Misaki close as the room darkened even more around them, and Misaki did not resist his touch.

"We can walk to the store together", he said, as Misaki burrowed his head into the author's shirt in an uncharacteristic display of vulnerability. "Later. We can go after dinner. But for now…"

"Hey! W-what are you-"

"What does it look like?" Usagi purred, and was relieved to see Misaki starting to act more like himself and putting up at least a token fight, trying to shrug off Usagi's hands when he purposefully overbalanced the both of them, making them collapse gracelessly onto the couch again. "Distracting you, of course."

"You said you'd do more work!"

"That can wait until later too."

"Usagi-san! Stop it, I'm not- you can't-"

But Usagi silenced him with his lips and his teeth and his tongue, his hands busy inspecting every inch of his lover's body. Misaki's words were cut off by a low moan, Usagi making sure to pay particular attention to his mouth, and Usagi chuckled as Misaki squirmed, his body betraying him.

They rode out the storm like that – not bothering to turn on the light, limbs tangling indecorously together, and Misaki gasping out Usagi's name from kiss-swollen lips as the rain continued to drum out a rhythm around them; hard and fast enough to keep pace with Misaki's heartbeat.


End file.
